Kerala’s ground-breaking initiative, aimed at fostering entrepreneurship among students while addressing the state’s industrial land scarcity, has yielded positive results, with over 80 colleges evincing interest to set up Campus Industrial Parks in Kerala.
Kerala Industries Minister P Rajeev has said that after successfully taking up private industrial projects, the government is now focusing on Campus Industrial Parks in partnership with educational institutions in the state. “We promised private industrial parks, and today, 31 private industrial parks are under development. We envisioned entrepreneurs emerging from Kerala’s campuses, and to make that vision a reality, we have now introduced Campus Industrial Parks,” said Rajeev in a recent social media post highlighting the details of the project.
He said the ambitious initiative, aimed at addressing the scarcity of industrial land and utilising unused spaces within higher education institutions, has already garnered interest from over 80 colleges. “The Campus Industrial Parks will play a crucial role in fostering entrepreneurship among students and strengthening industry-academia collaboration, significantly boosting the state’s industrial advancement,” he said.
As per the details, universities, arts and science colleges, professional colleges, polytechnics, ITIs, and other institutions with a minimum of five acres of available land can establish Campus Industrial Parks. For standard design factories, just two acres of land will suffice. Educational institutions with suitable land can apply for developer permits. A state-level selection committee, comprising principal secretaries from key departments such as Industries, Higher Education, Finance, Revenue, Local Self Government, Water Resources, and Energy & Environment, will assess applications after site inspections by district-level committees.
The state government will provide up to Rs. 1.5 crore for infrastructure development in approved parks, including roads, electricity, and waste management facilities. Only institutions receiving a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Higher Education Department can establish these parks, which will also qualify for industrial area status.
Samudra Shipyard Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Jeevan Sudhakaran said the project will be a significant step in advancing sustainable development and industrial growth. “By utilising unused institutional land and integrating education with entrepreneurship, Campus Industrial Parks will create industry-ready candidates, drive innovation, and economic progress,” he added.
The Campus Industrial Parks will prioritise eco-friendly practices, utilising surplus land without disrupting academic activities. Each park will align with the institution’s academic focus, offering students hands-on apprenticeship opportunities while fostering industry-academia collaboration.
